In Contention
by Becca Lavender
Summary: At the end of the photo shoot, Dan decides to put himself in contention rather than stand on the sidelines.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's notes: With the direction this season, I keep wondering what would have happened if they had actually let Dan be a contender in Season 4. This is the start of what will likely be a 3 or 4 part AU of the end of Season 4. I figured I finished one WIP and will finish another soon, so why not start a new one? This chapter is more of a preface than anything else-the other chapters will be meatier (aka longer). **_

"And so is your princess, if you're ready for her," Blair heard herself say as she spotted Serena beyond Dan's shoulder. She sighed internally, knowing for better or for worse Dan would inevitably head back to Serena. She was resigned to the fact that her prince probably wasn't out there, as Chuck would always be looming in the background. She knew it was the same for him with Serena, except Dan could reasonably believe that Serena was the princess in the tower, ready for her white knight to save her.

She turned walk away, the Waldorf-Humphrey experiment was officially over. She was startled when she felt him grab her arm.

"Blair...wait," he said, his face still serious.

"What? Haven't we said enough?" Blair sighed, out loud this time. She was ready to put an end to this strange day, and wished Dan would let whatever thoughts he was having wait for another day.

"You seem sad," Dan said simply.

"I got my confirmation that Chuck will never change. If you don't mind, I'd like to just go lick my wounds in peace," she told him, not sure where he was going with this.

"I think it's more than that," he said confidently. "You seemed sad when I said the kiss didn't mean anything."

"Why would that make me sad? It _didn't_ mean anything," Blair pointed out, already frustrated with this conversation.

"Perhaps you decided it didn't mean anything after you spent a week avoiding the world, including my calls," Dan said, looking thoughtful. She was pretty sure she didn't like the direction this conversation was taking, though she felt a tiny flutter of excitement that she hoped wasn't evident.

"Your _one voicemail_," Blair grumbled. "Your lack of contact made it pretty clear where you stood."

His thoughtful look turned into a slight smirk. "So, you wanted me to pursue you?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"That is definitely not what I said," Blair said, feeling flustered. She felt the same nervous anticipation she felt the evening they kissed.

"What _are_ you saying?" he asked, tilting his head.

"What are you asking?" she returned.

He sighed, looking less confident and a bit flustered himself. "I guess I was continuing our game of chicken," he admitted, then paused for a moment before continuing, "but I'm done with that now."

"Dan, what do you want from me? I really do just want to get out of here," she said, wanting to bolt for the exit, yet finding herself cemented into place.

"I don't want to stop hanging out with you," he said, regaining his earlier confidence. "I also wouldn't be adverse to kissing you again, albeit in a less high pressure environment."

"That was your idea," she reminded him. "You might have been better off just marching in and kissing me."

"Somehow I think that would have gotten me slapped," he said, tilting his head skeptically.

She couldn't stop the grin that spread across her face. "That would definitely have been a possibility," she admitted.

"So?" Dan asked, smiling.

"So, what?" Blair asked, not willing to give an inch. "I'm still not sure what you want. I would think today's fiasco with Chuck would have been enough to convince you to run for the hills, not to mention Serena and a million other reasons that we likely wouldn't work even as friends."

"I think we're letting ourselves over think things," Dan said. "Just tell me something: if I were just some guy you'd been hanging out from your art history class, would that kiss have merited a date?"

"But you're not," Blair protested, not sure why he was making things too simple. "Plus, you'd be much more suitable to date if you were some guy from my art history class because that would mean you went to Columbia."

Much to her frustration, Dan just chuckled in response.

"You find that funny? That you're not a suitable suitor?"

At that, Dan merely laughed again and shook his head.

"What's so funny?" she asked, both puzzled and irritated. She didn't like how he was beginning to interpret her insults as signs of affection, which they really weren't.

"Nothing," he said, still smiling. "You never answered my earlier question. If I were just some guy who didn't date Serena that you liked seeing movies and going to museums with, would you be interested in trying to date me based on that first kiss?"

"I did answer you. I told you that your question can't be answered," Blair said, rolling her eyes. "You're really asking me if I would be willing to date you, but you're masking it as a hypothetical."

"You saw through that, huh?" Dan said with a cheeky grin.

"It wasn't exactly subtle," Blair huffed.

"I guess it wasn't," he admitted. "Look, I'm not telling you I'm madly in love with you or that we should jump right into a relationship. Just come over tomorrow night and we'll watch a movie just like we've been doing."

"But this time I know you're hoping to make out with me," she pointed out, raising her eyebrows. She didn't like the heat that rushed to her cheeks at the thought.

"It's entirely possible that you'll annoy me so much that I won't even want to kiss you," Dan said casually. "But that's kind of the point of dating. To feel each other out."

"Fine," Blair sighed.

"What?" Dan asked, looking confused.

"I'm coming over tomorrow. I will bring the movie. And the food. And the wine," she said, smiling slightly.

"Who said anything about wine? Trying to get me drunk, Waldorf?" he asked, grinning at her in a way she'd never seen directed at her before.

She rolled her eyes rather than dignify that with a response. "I'll see you at seven. Feel free to dress casually, if you must," she told him, already trying to imagine what she would wear on a date with Dan Humphrey.

"We'll do black tie movie night next time," Dan teased.

"Don't go counting your chickens, Humphrey," Blair told him, feeling both excited and anxious that he so readily assumed there would be a next time.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's notes: So, I have mixed feelings about where canon is going. Fool me once and all that. But, luckily this is AU so I don't have to worry about such nonsense. Thanks for all the positive feedback from the first chapter. It's always greatly appreciated. **_

Blair stood outside the door of the loft for several minutes, still not entirely sure she was willing to continue with this experiment of Dan's. She felt an anxious knot forming in her stomach, and she was unsure what was at the root of her anxiety. She wasn't sure if she was more afraid of her date with Dan being a success or it being an abysmal failure. Taking a deep breath, she put her game face on and opened the door, feeling it sent a message of confidence if she entered without knocking.

"You sleep here one night and you come in like you live here," Dan said, smiling as he helped her with her bags. She instantly wished she had knocked, as she realized that the confidence she was expressing could be confused with comfort. She didn't need Dan knowing that she felt more at ease in his home each time she came over.

As she had expected, he was dressed casually in jeans and a navy blue henley. She had contemplated what to wear, finally deciding on a black pencil skirt and dark green silk blouse. She figured the simplicity of the outfit was a nod to the casualness of both the venue and her host. He seemed completely at ease as he moved around the kitchen, putting food onto plates. She, on the other hand, was having a hard time hiding her nervousness.

"Thanks for bringing dinner," he said, breathing in the aroma of the Italian takeout. "It smells really good."

"I figured I wouldn't get anything too gourmet for you," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

He picked up the bottle of wine and studied the label. "This is an excellent vintage," he said in a serious tone.

"If I didn't know you, I would buy that you actually knew something about wine," she teased, grinning slightly. She had a feeling he left her that opening to help put her at ease. Instead, she felt a rush of affection sweep over her, which only served to make her more anxious.

"Too bad you know me. I guess there's no reason to try and impress you then," he said dryly.

"You shouldn't give up so easily. Surely you have some hidden talents," she told him unthinkingly, the words sounding less flirtatious in her head.

"I just might," he said, setting the wine bottle down and walking closer to her, until he was standing right in front of her.

"I've already sampled those talents," she reminded him. "I'm sure you remember how that turned out."

"I do," he said, staring at her lips. "I also remember you saying something about how I should have just kissed you without any preamble."

"Well, I think you just blew your opportunity for that again," she said, ashamed at how breathy her voice was.

"Damn, you're right," he said, taking a step back but not turning away. "I guess I'll have to use the element of surprise later on tonight."

He walked back to the counter and picked up the wine, handing it to her as he fished around for a corkscrew, the moment suddenly over. "I have a feeling it's better if I leave you to the wine. I have a feeling there's a proper amount of aeration that I'm unaware of," he said, setting two wineglasses onto the counter. "Luckily these aren't fine crystal, so we can just wash them with Dawn."

"We?" she said, raising her eyebrows. "I did provide the food, the wine, and the movie. The least you can do is clean up afterwards."

"I suppose I could handle that," he conceded. "What are we watching tonight anyhow?"

She reached into her purse and pulled out the movie and handed it to him. She really hadn't been sure what movie to bring, not wanting her choice to say too much, but also wanting to appear as though she'd put some thought into the selection. He looked at the cover, then looked back at her.

"How did you know?" he asked, looking at her in awe.

"How did I know what?" she asked, confused.

"This is my favorite movie," he said, shaking his head. "I know I never told you that, because...Well, there's some associations with it I try and put out of my mind now."

"Do you want to watch something else?" she asked, not believing she'd stumbled onto a movie that seemingly meant a lot to him. "I just knew you liked Jimmy Stewart, and that you would mock me if I brought an Audrey movie. So, I settled for Grace Kelly, who is someone else I try to model myself after."

Dan looked away for a moment, clearly lost in some memory. "Humphrey? You're acting weird. Snap out of it," she said tersely. Upon further reflection, the movie selection probably did hold more significance than she had been consciously aware of. Dan was an observer; of course he would be drawn to a movie centered around voyeurism.

"Sorry," he apologized, shaking off whatever was running around in his head.

"It's okay," she said, certainly understanding the connection between movies and memories. Luckily, most of her movie watching memories seemed to involve Nate or Serena, and she could look fondly back on those days when she truly believed her life could turn out like one of the movies she loved. However, she did have to inwardly laugh at how Dan's favorite movie led to the main character being severely injured when he tried to step out of his observer's role. Somehow she thought he would be more fanciful, or perhaps even more romantic than that. She idly wondered if it held any deeper meaning. "So...was there something else you wanted to watch?"

"No," he said firmly. "I haven't seen it in awhile. Plus, I'm curious to hear your thoughts, and I won't have to shush you because I know the dialogue so well."

"Like _I'm_ the one who needs constant shushing," she said, rolling her eyes.

"You ready to eat?" he asked, clearly trying to change the subject.

"I was beginning to wonder if your goal was to let it go cold," she said. She wasn't sure why she was being so testy, but he seemed to be taking it in stride. He simply handed her a plate and went to get the movie set up. She brought her food over to the living room, then returned to the kitchen to bring him his dinner as he played with the menu to the DVD.

"Thanks," he said, smiling warmly.

They sat in companionable silence as they ate. Once they were done eating, Blair shifted awkwardly on the couch. There was a part of her that wanted to move closer to him, and she wondered if he would put his arm around her if she did so. While he had been seemingly relaxed all evening, she could see he now sat stiffly, a nervous tension in his shoulders. She figured he was having similar thoughts running through his head. She leaned forward to take a long sip of wine, finishing her glass. She noticed that his was half full as she went to the kitchen to fetch the bottle of wine. She refilled her own glass as she sat down, pouring a dollop into his to top him off. She sat back down on the couch, subtly sitting a few inches closer to him, but still not quite close enough to touch.

Ten minutes later, she was halfway through her second glass. While she was nowhere near drunk, she felt much more relaxed. Tentatively, she inched slightly closer to him. She saw him smile out of the corner of her eye, and she feared that he was going to tease her about wanting to get close to him. Instead, he casually laid his arm across the back of the sofa, essentially inviting her into his space. After a moment's hesitation, she moved closer still, and he brought his arm down and around her shoulders.

"You know, that's pretty much the oldest move in the book," she couldn't help but point out, smiling to take away any edge.

"I suppose it wouldn't have so much longevity if it weren't so effective," he said, also smiling but continuing to stare straight ahead at the movie.

As he watched the movie intently, she took the opportunity to watch the images from the screen flicker across his face. He had a small amount of stubble, apparently having chosen not to shave prior to her arrival. In a way, she appreciated that he wasn't clean shaven, as it served as a reminder that this wasn't quite the same boy she had known and not particularly liked in high school. However, it was really that boy and his relationship with her best friend that gave her so much hesitation right now.

"Do I have something on my face?" Dan asked, breaking her out of her trance.

"Uh, no. I just got lost in thought," Blair said distractedly, embarrassed that she got caught staring at him.

"Anything you care to share?" he asked, turning his head toward her, his face inches away.

Rationalizing that they really did need to test this chemistry between them that seemed to be slowly developing, she raised her eyes to meet his. "I was just thinking that everyone should get to make out with someone during their favorite movie at some point," she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

This time, Dan didn't hesitate before taking the hint and softly covering her mouth with his. She responded immediately, snaking her arms around his neck and into his hair, pulling him closer. He deepened the kiss, and she just let herself get lost in the newness of it for a few moments.

Finally, he pulled back, his free hand gently stroking her face. "So?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I have to answer first?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in return.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Well, you haven't left at least," he teased. "And I'm really hoping you're not thinking about a certain ex of yours."

She didn't quite know what to say to that, so she just blurted out the first thing that popped into her head, "I don't think we should have sex yet."

Dan's hands immediately fell to his sides in shock, and he put a bit of distance between them on the couch. Then he smirked and tilted his head at her. "_Yet_?" he asked, his smirk growing. He _would_ choose to focus on that one word.

"You know what I mean," she pouted.

"I really don't," he said, looking slightly more serious.

"It's possible..._likely_...that we'll never sleep together. If we do, it shouldn't be tonight," she said matter-of-factly.

"Did you think I was expecting that we would?" he asked, looking more curious than anything else.

"Isn't that what guys are always hoping for?" she asked rhetorically, shrugging.

"I won't respond to that particular comment, seeing as how you turned my question around into what I hoped for versus what I expected. I have a feeling I don't win regardless of whether or not I hoped we would sleep together," he said, looking away from her. He took a deep breath and sighed. "Regardless, I think we've far exceeded any expectations I had, and I'm not just talking about getting to make out with _Rear Window_ playing in the background."

She found herself blushing, and her embarrassment only grew as she realized just how much he was affecting her.

"Well, I'm glad I was able to exceed expectations," she said crisply. She looked at her watch. "I actually arranged for my car to pick me up right now, so..."

"Do you want me to walk you to your car?" he asked, standing up to grab his coat.

"No, you stay and work on washing the dishes," she said, then paused for a moment as she contemplated how she wanted the night to end. She leaned up and slowly kissed his cheek. "Thanks for tonight. I did have a nice evening."

"You're welcome," he said, smiling almost shyly. He started walking with her towards the door. "So...where does this leave us?"

She paused in the doorway, not sure she knew the answer, but she did know that he would go along with whatever her decision was.

"Well, if you were that proverbial guy in my art history class, I would say that it was a lovely first date, and you should call me," she said. "Because you're Dan Humphrey instead, I will say I wouldn't be adverse to a second date, but that's all I can promise you right now."

"I'll call you," Dan said, and chuckled at himself. "Sorry, that sounds like such a standard line the guy from your art history class would use. How about we finally go to MoMA and go the Joseph Bueys exhibit? I bet you still have decent field trip procedures worked out."

"I didn't even want to go in the first place, then you stand me up, and you think I will try again?" she asked, feeling the need to get their equilibrium back.

"I think you will," he said confidently.

"We'll see," she said with a cheeky grin before giving him a light kiss on the lips. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he said softly, then he grinned at her. "Should we meet at your house this time, or should we just meet there to avoid Serena?"

She rolled her eyes and left, not bothering to answer him. She would wait for his call.

When Blair got home, she was still wearing a soft smile from her date with Dan. When she entered her room, that smile turned to one of confusion as she noticed a package sitting on her bed. She opened it, and her jaw dropped when she saw what was inside. She took out out the black high-heeled shoe and stared at it, unsure what to think. She had a feeling her life just got more complicated.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's notes: For whatever reason, this chapter was really hard to get out. I couldn't decide where to end it, and was indecisive in general. Plus, canon threw me for a loop in there, making it harder to get my mind back to their S4 place. Thanks to anyone still reading, especially those who have been taking the time to review. I really appreciate it. I'll try not to delay so long for the next (probably the last) chapter. I have a much better idea of what I want to do moving forward. **_

The entire time she was at MoMa with Dan, she had intended to tell him about receiving the shoe and note. More importantly, she needed to tell him that she was spending the rest of the day with Louis before the tabloids or Gossip Girl beat her to it. She had already made these plans with Dan before she got the note, and she couldn't bring herself to cancel on him at this juncture, knowing the message it would send. However, she found that there was never a good opening to tell him about Louis either. From the moment she "accidentally" ran into his outside the restrooms, he started excitedly talking to her about the exhibit, rattling off the items they definitely had to see. Inwardly, she couldn't help but get swept up in his enthusiasm. Outwardly, she repeatedly rolled her eyes and reminded him that this exhibit was far too masculine for her. Alarmingly, her lack of enthusiasm just seemed to spur him on. She was beginning to think he might be on to her.

When he had exhaustively talked her through nearly every item in the museum, they stood awkwardly at the exit, unsure of what to do next. It was still early in the day, and normally on a second date that had gone this well Blair would probably suggest getting coffee. However, Blair feared coffee would lead to hours of conversation, which would inevitably lead her back to the loft, a place where she desperately did not want to be alone with Dan just now. Being alone with Dan would only lead to more confusion, not to mention making her late for her date with Louis later that day.

Blair wasn't sure how she had managed to double book herself. On one hand, it made her feel slightly guilty the whole time she was with Dan. On the other hand, she got a small thrill out of the situation. It was like she was living out two romantic comedies at the same time.

Dan slowly cleared his throat. "So..." he started, before Blair cut him off.

"Thank you. It's been a lovely second date," Blair said hurriedly.

"Uh, thanks," Dan said and chuckled mildly. "I guess the finality of your statement answers my next question."

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I just have plans with Serena later."

"Have fun," Dan said. "I would say to say hi for me, but..."

"Yeah," Blair said, not sure what she was affirming. "Call me later?"

"If you want me to," Dan said hesitantly. "You look like you're ready to bolt right now. Was my enthusiasm too much?"

"No," she told him honestly. "I liked it."

"Okay," he said. He looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking again. "So, can you explain to me how what we just did today is different than what we've been doing since Christmas, yet we're calling this our second date?"

She felt herself tense up, not liking where this was going. "Well, if you like we don't have to consider today a date," she said tersely.

"You know that's not what I meant," he sighed.

"I know what you meant," she snapped, not sure why she was getting so angry. "You're implying that you tricked me into accidentally dating you for months."

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm implying," he said sarcastically, sighing again. Any trace of his earlier amusement with her had been wiped away, and he just seemed frustrated.

She took a breath, calming herself down. With that shoe taunting her at her house, she didn't want the extra guilt of being reminded of the relationship she and Dan had built over these last few months, regardless of whether it was romantic or not. She wasn't even sure what Louis really wanted, but given that her prince was on his way, it was probably best if she wasn't actually dating Dan Humphrey when he arrived. The problem was, she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to eliminate the possibility of dating Dan either, which led to awkward moments such as this one.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely, and she saw the tension leave his shoulders almost instantly. "With Chuck...and Serena, I just don't want to rush into anything. Can we just keep things casual until we know what we have here?"

He smiled at her, and she couldn't help but smile back. His smile was disturbingly disarming.

"I think I can do that," he said easily. "I'll call you."

"Good, because it's rude not to call a girl after a second date,."

"Point taken," he chuckled. "Have fun with Serena."

They stood there awkwardly for another moment, but considering they were completely out in public, even so much as a handshake could be misinterpreted. It wouldn't even be completely out of the realm of possibilities for someone to suspect them of something nefarious just by standing there together.

"Goodbye," she finally said, turning abruptly and walking out. She forced herself not to look back, knowing that Dan was probably confused.

Five minutes later, her phone rang. She smiled and rolled her eyes affectionately, answering without even looking, knowing who it had to be.

"When I said it was rude not to call, I didn't mean you had to call _today_," she teased him.

"I'm sorry...Blair?" Blair almost dropped her phone, stunned to hear a distinct French accent.

"Oh, God. I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else," she stuttered, not believing that she had picked up her phone without looking, thinking she was that in tune with Dan Humphrey of all people.

"This is Louis," the voice said, as though Blair didn't know from his accent. "I presume you received my package?"

"Yes, it was a lovely surprise," Blair said formally, still not quite believing that this was happening. "I thought you'd never want to speak with me again."

"Of course not," Louis said warmly, and she smiled at how kind he sounded after the disaster in Paris. "I presume you took care of your previous situation."

"Yes, that's over," Blair said hesitantly.

"Good," Louis said. "Then we're both free."

"Of course," Blair said guardedly. Technically, she and Dan weren't really anything. They certainly weren't exclusively...doing whatever it was they were doing. At least, they had no agreement to do it exclusively.

"Then I look forward to seeing you this afternoon," Louis said.

She had sudden visions of the elegant gowns and jewelry she had worn in Paris, and she finally felt as excited as she should. It had been a long time since she had dressed up with someone in mind. She made a mental note to call Dorota to start pulling things from her closet so she'd be ready to pick out the perfect outfit when she returned home.

"Unfortunately, we will have to meet somewhere no one will see us," Louis said, and Blair felt her enthusiasm wane again. It seemed there was no one she could publicly date these days. "I can't have the tabloids finding out I'm here."

"Don't worry," Blair told him. "I have recently learned of lots of places we can go where no one who knows us wouldn't be caught dead in."

Blair hung up after telling him to meet her at Veselka, and she started mentally crafting the perfect evening for her and Louis. She tried not to think about how much Dan would tease her about putting Veselka as the centerpiece of her date with a prince. At least, her friend Dan would tease her. She had a feeling that the Dan she was sort of dating might react differently.

As it turned out, she didn't have to wait long to find out how Dan would react. Somehow there he was, sitting at the counter at Veselka when she entered.

"What are you doing here?" she practically hissed, not believing that he would stoop to stalking her. They had agreed just that afternoon that they were casual.

"I'm here to eat," he told her, looking confused. There was something else in his eyes that she didn't want to think about in that moment. "And hello to you too. I guess it's good I decided to wait a day before calling."

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"The better question is, what are you doing here?" he asked, grinning at her. "If you're craving pierogies, I must have rubbed off on you more than I thought."

"I'm on a date, actually," she said tersely, looking away from his face so she didn't have to see his smile fade. "We said we were casual, right?"

"Of course," Dan said, his face unreadable. "Date away."

"I'd better go," she said softly, still not meeting his eyes. She turned and walked away, feeling Dan's eyes on her back as she put on her biggest smile for Louis.

It was not long after her date with Louis began that Serena interrupted. Blair wasn't sure why Serena had come, but she quickly realized just how careless she and Dan had been when they were hanging out as friends. Apparently Serena visited Dan's haunting grounds more often than Blair knew. Blair tried not to think too hard about the implications of that, or why it bothered her so much.

Lunch with Louis was pleasant, with Louis being the charming gentleman she remembered from Paris. Louis seemed to like Veselka, as well as her other suggestions for their day. Then, the day had ended as abruptly as Louis had re-entered her life.

"Dan wouldn't do that," Blair said confidently. "I'll take care of this."

Dan showed up at Paul Smith just as she had demanded. He didn't even blink when she put ties up to his neck to see which suited him best. She was alarmed to see that her vision of him in a suit with _any _of those ties gave her a little flutter in her stomach.

This was not about Dan. It was about Louis, and how Dan was going to fix what he had messed up.

"I'm sorry," were his first words. She looked at him appraisingly, and he seemed to be sincere. She softened almost immediately at the earnest look on his face.

"I know," she said, not nearly as sternly as she had intended. "That's why I'm giving you the opportunity to make it up to me. You did ruin the best...one of the best dates of my life."

She saw the hurt flash in his eyes briefly, but he recovered quickly, tilting his head at her and smiling softly. "At Veselka? What else did you do?"

"That's neither here nor there," she huffed, feeling uncomfortable under the scrutiny of his gaze. She didn't want to admit that every place on the itinerary was some place she had gone with Dan. It wasn't worth explaining to him that it was just because she wanted to stay off the radar, and that it had nothing to do with him. Nothing. "You're straying from the point. You ruined my date with Louis because of your need for literary validation, and I called you here to explain how you're going to make it up to me."

"You really think I need to do something to make up for ruining your date with another guy?" Dan asked, rolling his eyes.

"We're just casual, right? I wouldn't sabotage you if you were trying to explore all your options," Blair said crisply.

"What do you want me to do?" Dan asked, looking resigned.

"Louis can't be seen in public with me, and now you've tipped off his family. They're sending a royal handler to watch him. You and I are going to convince his handler that Louis and I are just casual acquaintances from this summer, and you are and I are madly in love," she said blithely. Dan just looked confused.

"I don't understand. I thought you didn't want anyone to think we're dating."

"I don't," Blair said. She assumed he was being intentionally obtuse. "We're going to stage an intimate moment for Louis' handler, but no one else will see."

"Blair..." Dan protected. Blair put up a hand to stop him from talking.

"If you're trying to date me, don't you want me to feel like I've explored my options rather than just settling for you because I don't want to lose you as a friend?" She felt a little bad for manipulating him, but she did enjoy the little involuntary smile that flitted across his face as he rolled his eyes again, accepting his fate.

"You know you don't need to jump through all these hoops just to get me to kiss you again," he said dryly.

It was now her turn to roll her eyes.


End file.
